Not the Only World to Fall
by CaptainCrash
Summary: Sarah's life is perfect, until a jealous Goblin King lets his guard down and risks ruining not only his own life, but Sarah's too.
1. The Perfect Life

**Not the Only World to Fall**

_Sarah is near to having the life she always dreamed of; her career is got her almost headlining on Broadway, she's about to be proposed to and her brother thankfully still isn't showing signs of being a goblin. But what would happen if Jareth's world falls apart, and hers along with it?_

**Chapter One**

Sarah was on a sunny mid-day New York City sidewalk in front of a camera ready to start shooting her final scenes of her latest film in which she was the central star. There was a reporter for a national film magazine waiting for her sitting on a set of stairs off to the side, sipping coffee and waiting for her to finish so they could interview her.

People were fussing all around; lighting checks, camera checks and a new girl was fixing her long hair into a plait. The girl was smiling because she was finally there; Sarah knew the feeling.

Ok, so it was only a dream, but she was allowing herself to indulge. She fixed her dress so it lay flat over her stomach. Her male co-star was approaching from his trailer, he was the best looking actor in Hollywood at the time, and he was privileged to be acting opposite the Sarah Williams.

She was looking forward to seeing this play out, see what kind of actress she was; comedy, serious, dramatic? However, someone else had other ideas.

"A word Sarah?" A sultry voice whispered in her ear. She sighed, so much for a good dream.

"Not now, we're about to start-" She turned to face the voice she recognised and the city landscape dissolved into nothing. "Every time" She muttered as her surroundings refocused. They were now both in the white ballroom she had only ever been to once, but revisited many times in her dreams. "I was having a good dream,"

"It's you who keeps bringing me here Sarah." Jareth replied in a drone, he hadn't aged a day even though she'd aged ten. He removed his leather jacket and draped it over the nearest chair. He then sat down on the one next to it; he looked at her like a bored child. "What have you brought me here to brag about this time? What is little Sarah's subconscious wanting to tell the big bad Goblin King who offered her everything!"

"How do you know it's to brag Jareth?" His name sounded so strange coming from her. "Maybe I just missed your witty comments and cynical drawl." Sarah noticed for the first time she was back in the white gown he'd placed her in all those years ago. "And not so much of the little, it's been a long time." She shuffled across the floor in the heavy gown and sat down beside him.

Of course, it's been what two years since you had me here, actually thought you'd forgotten about me, and it's been ten years since you beat me. No more wishes to bring you back to my land either Sarah? Such a shame, always wanted to know if it was a fluke that got you through my labyrinth; which it was by the way." He raised a glass to his lips "here's to the only one to have ever beaten me." He drank deeply.

"You had any other victims since me?" Sarah looked his two toned eyes, even though it was a dream she was shaken to the core.

"I wouldn't know." He answered simply; she looked at him completely confused. She always forgot that it probably wasn't him; it was a dream after all. He sighed. "I live here Sarah." He pointed out the empty ballroom, then at her head. "You're memory. For all I know, you killed the real me ten years ago."

"You're not dead Jareth." Sarah smiled weakly "And you know it-"

"-because you wouldn't have created me to tell me about your conquests? So what is it Sarah, what other part of my promise have you achieved with out my help? Your brother not been killed by you? You famous now, you in a movie, or you just marrying a film star?"

"Almost." Sarah played with a fork that was on the table. "Toby's fine, haven't seen him in a while though. I've been busy." Her smiled broadened "Dad says he can be a right goblin at times. That's your doing!"

"Actually, I think that was a duel effort." He raised an eyebrow, a warning telling her not to argue. "Now, what is that's been keeping you busy? You'd just got into college the last time I saw you."

"I passed with flying colours, drama and theatre studies, four years ago now- Me! I've been working in the Little Theatre since- Me! And now I'm heading to Broadway- me me me me me! Well, not entirely, that's also the work of my boyfriend, he's bought us an apartment in New York; over looking Central Park." Sarah took the slice of cake from the plate of her blonde nemesis. "All me, not you, and you know what- it was a piece of cake!" She took a bite. "I think Eric is going to propose soon too."

"Who's Eric!" Jareth asked with indignation. He didn't like the name. He didn't like the guy.

"My lovely boyfriend, who I've been with for six years, he's adorable and has lovely hair." She explained.

"So you wouldn't dream of me because you felt guilty, dream cheating as it where."

"Don't be so stupid Jareth, I stopped dreaming about you because I grew up!"

"Then you're over me?" He questioned, standing for the first time since they arrived. "Are you wanting my blessing?"

"Over you! Sarah stood herself. "What are you implying Jareth?" She took a step towards him.

"No, dear Sarah, what are YOU implying- it's your dream after all. You brought me here- to what? Prove to me you're over me." He suddenly grabbed her waist. "Impress me?" He reached onto the table and grabbed the mask he's worn once before. "Or…"

"Or?" Sarah questioned as the first few beats of the song that had haunted her dreams so many times. _FIGHT FOR ME!_ Her head screamed.

"… Ask you for one last dance!" It broke her heart; she knew what he wanted to say. He wanted to say what she was mentally screaming. But both of them knew he didn't need to say it. He was just being his brutishly coy self; As always. They glided across the empty room as the music echoed through the air. "Is this goodbye Sarah? Are you truly happy?"

"I've gotten all you had offered haven't I ? And I still have my brother. What more do I need?" She was trying to convince herself.

"But will he be there when your world falls down?" Jareth stopped dancing, that tell tale gleam in his eye. This time it was really him, after all this time he's finally ventured into her dreams.

"Is that a threat?" She glared at him, could he really be threatening to destroy all that she had worked for. He opened his mouth to answer when a cold rush flooded her body and ripped her instantly from her dream.

"Wakey wakey." Eric had pulled the duvet from Sarah and poured a jug of ice and water over her entire body.

"Jesus Eric." Sarah gasped, stumbling out of the bed; she was finding it hard to gasp her breath because of the cold.

"Morning," He insisted brightly as he pulled her in for a hug. It wasn't the first time he'd woken her with a practical joke, but no other morning had she been in the middle of an important, life changing dream. "It's our last two days here, do you really want to be spending it in bed?"

"What if I do, is that a problem?" She brushed his arms from her waist and headed towards the bathroom.

"You're such a grouch this morning baby. Does baby want to go back to sleep!" He pulled her back into a stronger hug.

"I'm the baby? I'm not the child who threw water over someone because they weren't getting attention!" She threw him forcefully off. She loved him, but he was high maintenance. Always hyper, always happy, Sarah had her down days, her serious days. She couldn't give him 24/7 attention. Yet somehow he still loved her.

"I was being-" The door slammed in his face. "- affectionate" He rasped softly on the door. "Hun, I'm sorry. It's just there's something important I want us to do today. I was figuring we could go pick out a nice crystal."

"A WHAT!" Sarah's heart was thumping as she opened the bathroom door. How did he know about the crystal Jareth had offered her.

"You know, a rock…." Her face was still pale and blank. "A diamond?" She still looked shell shocked. "Baby, marry me!" He bent down on one knee and grabbed her hand. "Sarah, will you marry me!" He repeated.

"Um, ok." She replied bewildered.

"Well, you go get ready, and maybe when you see that ring on ya ringer you'll be more excited. Then we can let your folks know at dinner tomorrow night."

"My dad and my step-mother you mean." She corrected. "I'll be ready in five minutes."

In a whirlwind blur they were at the most expensive jewellers in the area. She had known for weeks this was coming, she had been ecstatic, dreaming about how it would have happened; in a park with her in her best outfit and he would have already picked out the perfect ring and she would have screamed yes before the ring had hit her finger. Instead she'd said um, ok wearing drenched faded pyjamas and another man on the brain.

She had to stop thinking about the dream, after all that was all it was; a dream. Jareth had been the doubt in her mind questioning her reasons for being with Eric that was all. Standing over the counter, she pointed out the first ring that caught her eye. She hated that her whole heart wasn't in it; it had been a mere twenty-four hours before. Now there was some misgiving as to what Jareth would do and what would happen if she was to say yes. Was he still in love with her? He would certainly be a jealous King if that was the case.

"You certain about that one, money isn't an object Sarah. Whatever you wish will be yours if you just love me!" Eric took the ring from the shopkeeper. She nodded and allowed him to place the ring upon her finger. He leant in to kiss her when the ground began to shake. It was an Earthquake, simple as. But Sarah knew different, it was Jareth. She turned to the glass cabinet that housed crystal balls; they rocked off their perches and rolled off onto the floor, shattering into a thousand pieces.


	2. Falling

Not the Only World to Fall

Chapter Two

"Daddy!" Sarah jumped into her Dad's arms the second her opened the door. She did it with such a force that he was almost knocked to the floor. It was mid-afternoon and he was the only one in the warm and inviting house; Toby was in school and her Step-Mother, Julia, was in work.

"Thought you weren't coming round until tomorrow? Oh, it's good to see you my darling." He regained his balance and hugged her back, closing the oak door behind them both. After a moments stifled silence in which Sarah made not attempt to remove herself from her Dad's embrace, he pulled her away to get a good look a her face. "What's wrong? You're so close to getting all you've ever wanted; why such a glum face?" He led her into the huge open planned kitchen and plonked her down on a chair facing him while he began pottering around the kitchen. He lit the stove, grabbed the heavy kettle, filled it with water and placed it on the ring to boil, all the while it could be seen that he was thinking hard. His soft forehead had ruffled into a frown; his blue eyes had dulled over. "You're certainly beginning to look the part of an actress; there's nothing of you." He rested upon the counter, "How about the famous Williams's triple ham and pickle sandwich. We got the bread you like?" Before he got an answer he pulled an uncut loaf from the bread bin.

"Um Ok." She muttered, clearly somewhere else. Her brain felt like mush, and her heart felt like it had stopped completely.

"Don't sound too excited!" Her dad faked his hurt. "Never mind the fact that you haven't had a Williams's special made by my hand in two years." He noticed she was still sad. "It always managed to put a smile on my little Sarah's face." She didn't change. "What is it Sarah?"

"Um, Ok is what I said to Eric this morning; when he asked me to marry him." Sarah explained glumly.

"What did you think he'd said Sarah; Pass the milk?" Her father laughed as he continued making their sandwiches by gathering all he needed from the fridge. "You never say um, ok to a Williams's triple let alone a marriage proposal. You're an actress my darling; how much of a disappointment must that have been for him."

"I know dad, I know." Her head fell into her hands. "I didn't realise what he'd actually said until I'd replied. Daddy, do you think I should call it off?" She finally looked up and into his eyes.

"Do you love him?" He asked as the kettle boiled with an ear-splitting whistle.

"Yes, I think so. I thought I did." She stammered. She did love him, and she'd known she had up until that stupid stupid invader of her dreams. She loved Eric, but deep down she knew she had the potential to love Jareth more; if she didn't already.

"Well you better make sure my little lady, you're my only daughter. You're very special to me and I'm not going to give you away if you're not a hundred percent sure he's the guy for you." He placed a steaming mug of tea and a mouth-watering sandwich of ham, cheese, salad, pickles and mustard in front of her.

"I'm sure he's perfect for me. I'm lucky to have him. I'm just sure he deserves better." She picked at the crumbs from the sandwich.

"Baby, this guy is perfect for you. You know, since I married Toby's mum, this has been the first time I'd seen you truly happy. For years, you were distant and so unhappy. You went round in a permanent daze; you seemed to hate Toby for breathing. You came back to me a little that night the power was cut about ten years ago now, and you seemed fine with Toby after that. After that you seemed to have a little determination about you, but you weren't truly happy; I assumed you had a crush on a boy in school or a teacher who didn't like you back. Then Eric came along and he put that sparkle back in those eyes and made you forget about that guy. He's a great guy Sarah, he's besotted with you. He'd move heaven and earth for you-"

"-He's not the only one." She muttered as she finally bit into her sandwich.

"Sarah, are you cheating on him?" Her dad demanded and she chocked at the comment.

"No, of course not Dad. That's just another story is all, guy who's now firmly in the past. If I split with Eric, it'd be because of me not some other guy."

Her dad mused for a moment before continuing "Maybe you just have jitters hun. After all it's all coming at once; you're career, moving to a city where you don't know anyone and with the only guy you've ever had a serious relationship with. I'm sure it's just all been a little overwhelming for you to say goodbye to your childhood."

"Amen to that." She laughed bitterly, but at least her dad was happy that it was a laugh at all. "I've missed your food daddy, thank you."

"What are you going to do now?" He asked brushing her hair off her face. "I want you to be happy."

"I'm going to marry him. I do love him dad." This time she acted. She still wasn't sure, but any doubt would lead to over-protective dad syndrome. She drained her mug. "When's Toby due home?"

"He should be in any minute now." Her dad gathered the empty plates.

"Ok to wait around until he shows up, I want to go have a look in my room and get a few bits that I want to take with me to New York."

"You rub it in Miss Williams!" Her Dad laughed. "Go on up, I assume you remember where it is?"

Sarah opened the door to her bedroom and stepped back into her childhood. Her teddies were still up on their shelves gathering dust. It had been two years since anything had been moved by her.

She lay down on her bed and sighed. For about three years after she beat Jareth she spent every night crying, coming ridiculously close to wishing that he would take her away. She thought her dreams were unobtainable; she may have won the labyrinth but he'd broken her spirit, but then she'd remembered how to get that spirit back.

She jumped up from the bed and delved into the drawers on her dresser. There it was; the book that had gotten her into this mess in the first place. It never said anything in the book about the girl loving the Goblin King back. She picked up the brush on the table and began brushing her long hair, her hands were shaking and her heart was hammering.

"I wish the Goblin King would take me away; right now." She said clearly, and thoughtfully.

Nothing.

No flicker of lights, no magic tricks, no thunder; not even a hint of an Earthquake like before. She began staring at the ring. It really was beautiful. Light and crisp; she adored it.

Five minutes passed, and still nothing. He wasn't coming; he had been playing with her. Suddenly she was feeling guilty. She'd gotten into their car and driven away as soon as they had left the jewellery shop. Eric hadn't seemed best pleased, but she hadn't really been thinking; she just had to see her dad. She went back to her bed and crawled into a ball, hugging her pillow. She was back to her childhood hoping he was just going to turn up and whisk her away.

Ten minutes, did he want her to say it again just to make sure she meant it? No chance, she scoffed, she wasn't begging. However, she would wait a little longer. Perhaps he was just testing her faith. She closed her eyes and fought back the tears; within a minute she was drifting into a nightmare filled sleep. She dreamt Jareth was in chains and trapped, then her mind remembered that was probably her subconscious telling her that's how he make her feel. She then brushed the thought aside and fell into a deeper dreamless sleep.

The sky was dark when she stirred from her sleep. She felt groggy, for a brief second she had forgotten why she was there. Then it came flooding back, and she remembered what she had done. Her irritation turned to anger as she hastily gathered a few books and her mirror that was mounted on the wall.

"Fine, have it your way Jareth." She roared. "I'm going to go and get an expensive take-away and I'm going to go home and I'm going to re-propose. ME! We're going to get married and live happily ever after in New York, then maybe onto Hollywood. No more of your jealous tantrums." She allowed a tear to fall before she got herself together. "You had your chance." She checked her watch; almost seven. Surly Toby would be home.

She headed downstairs to a solemn kitchen; both her dad and Julie where sitting sipping tea.

"What's going on? Why'd you leave me so long?" Sarah asked, rubbing sleep from her eyes, neither of them made to speak. "Where's Toby?"

"He's been picked up by the police." Sarah's dad explained. "He was caught stealing."

"What?" She hadn't known Toby to steal in his life. Yes, when he was a baby he'd sneak into her room and steal her teddies but that stopped the night Jareth took him and almost turned him into a goblin. Somehow, she knew this had something to do with Jareth, she'd didn't know how but she sure knew why.

"$400 worth of stuff from a department store in town." Julie explained as she wrung her hands. "I don't understand, he didn't need to steal we give him everything he wants."

"I'm sure there's a reason Julie. Want me to go pick him up?" Sarah offered.

"No, hun. It's ok; he's being brought home. You get home to your fiancée." Her dad ushered her out into the hall.

"Yea, congratulations Sarah," Julie gave her a hug. "I'll see you tomorrow,"

"Yea… See you guys tomorrow." She gave them both a quick hug and a kiss goodbye before getting into her car and driving home.

It had started to rain by the time she reached the apartment. Armed with take-away in one hand and her box full of memories in another she was finding it hard to open the door. She heard scuffling inside but thought nothing of it.

Finally getting inside she found Eric with his old friend Tara, watching a random tv channel, both slightly flustered, but Sarah was already too rattled to notice.

"Hey Tara, wasn't expecting you here." She kissed Eric as she passed him to put the take-away on the kitchen counter. His hair was sticky, that wasn't normal unless he'd been out of a run. "I've got Chinese; you wanting to stay?"

"Actually, no… I think I should get going." She got up from the couch, but Sarah pushed her back down.

"No, don't be silly. You never know when you'll see him again. I'm just going to go get changed and put this junk in the bedroom and I'll be right with you." Sarah had opened the bedroom door before Eric's brain could engage and protest.

"Babe-" Eric began as Sarah dropped the box to the floor with a loud crash, the mirror must have broken but it was the least of Sarah's worries.

"I made that bed this morning." She stammered as she looked further into the room. The bedding was everywhere, strewn all over the floor. There on the pillow, silver gleamed and glistened; laughing at Sarah. "Loose something Tara?" Sarah returned to the living room, armed with her earring. Tara's hand immediately went to the ear that was missing its decoration. "I think you should go Tara."

"I'm s-"

"Don't even. You know where the door is." Sarah stopped her pity. She heard her whisper to Eric that he was to phone her later as she gathered her stuff and left.

"It meant nothing. I'm sorry" Eric was up off the couch, his face grave.

"Don't give me that, you're only sorry you got caught. Next you'll be telling me it's my own fault, that I drove you to it."

"It's not like that-" Eric moved towards her, but she made it clear she wanted him nowhere near him, she stepped back and held the kitchen counter for support.

"How long has this been going on?" Sarah asked starring at Eric who remained stony silent. "HOW LONG!"

"Six months." His colour rose.

"And you call that nothing Eric? I thought you loved me?"

"And I thought that was a two way thing, I thought you loved me back." Eric shouted but he refused to comment further. He sighed before he continued. "I was moving us to get away from her,"

"I thought we were moving to start my career. To make my dreams come true and make me happy!" Her world was falling, just as Jareth had warned. It was his fault; he couldn't have her so no one else could. "How can it truly be over between you two if you're just running away?"

"Today, we were saying goodbye." She could hear the desperation in his voice.

"It's over." Sarah stated. He looked hopeful-

"Yes, I swear to you I won't see her ever again. It's over." He was near to tears.

"No Eric. WE are over."

"You're still in love with him aren't you?" He snapped bitterly, his tactics changing. As she predicted, he was now blaming her. "Whoever he is, you still love him don't you."

"Excuse me?" Sarah roared.

"J, The guy with the strange name, you still love him don't you. You talk in your sleep Sarah. You talk about him sometimes. I could never compete with a guy who promised you the world."

"That would have just been a dream. He doesn't exist." Sarah lied; after all she did love Eric. Up until she'd walked into their bedroom.

"Then why don't you love me?"

"Because Eric, you've just broken my heart." Sarah stifled her tears. "Please get out while I get my things together."


	3. house of cards

Chapter three

"I'm not going anywhere! You seriously giving up on us that easily?" Eric exclaimed, rage etched across his face.

"That easily! You gave up on us six months ago when you jumped into bed with her." Sarah went to the bedroom and pulled out the first large bag she could find in her wardrobe. Eric followed her in, towering over her menacingly. Then, suddenly, he changed tactics and dropped to the floor clinging onto her legs.

"Please Sarah." She moved out of his grip, placing the bag on the bed she began sifting through her wardrobe for clothes she'd need. "I am so so so sorry. Do you think I'd propose to you if it wasn't you I wanted?" Eric began pulling out the clothes she had placed into the bag. They had been neat, but now she just had to stuff them in.

"Stop being so childish Eric." Sarah screamed, thinking about Toby and how he never acted up as bad as this. "How do you expect me to be? I've just found out you've been cheating on me. Do you really think I'd go oh ok, I forgive you; lets still get married No Eric, I have a little more self respect than that."

"But you're writing us off completely Sarah. And we're leaving for New York tomorrow. You're prepared to throw that away too?" He sat next to her bag on the bed.

"No, you're going to give me my ticket. Give me some time and I'll think about what I want." Sarah threw a pair of shoes and a battered pair of trainers in the bag.

"You're not moving into that apartment. I'm paying for that!" Eric grabbed her arm roughly.

"Did I say anything about the apartment? No, I asked for my ticket. After all, I paid for them." Sarah shook off his grip.

"No. You're not leaving until we sort this out and you promise you'll marry me."

"You're kidding right! Right now I can't even look at you let alone contemplate spending the rest of my life with you." Sarah chocked on her word. It was true, she couldn't look at him. She'd cheated on him in a dream; what he'd done was unforgivable.

"Well you're not going to New York tomorrow." Before she could do anything, Eric had gone to his computer desk in the living room, pulled open the top desk draw, and mindlessly tore the tickets into pieces.

"I have to be there for the audition-"

"Bye bye Sarah's dream." Eric hissed blowing the tattered remains of the tickets in her face. "You're shattered my dream, I'll destroy yours."

"What was your dream Eric? Ti have your perfect wife; blissfully unaware that you're sleeping with people behind her back?" Sarah had stunned him into silence. With one lat poignant stare she left him and returned to the bedroom to zip up the bag and sling the strap over her shoulder. She grabbed the box she had only just brought into their apartment and returned to the living room. "I'll get Rachel to come pick up the rest of my stuff."

"That where you're going to be?"

"No, she just has a key Eric." Sarah sighed, not wanting to reveal to him where she was going. "Goodbye"

She sat in her car staring for at least five minutes. Why did she have to go and brag to Jareth? Ok, so what had she managed to ruin and loose for herself in the space of about thirteen hours? Her boyfriend, her flight to New York and the prospect of a career making job along with it; her brother has begun going off the rails and to top it all off, she felt like she was loosing her sanity

Where was she to go? She couldn't go back to her Dad's, he had enough to deal with and would more than likely make matters worse. She couldn't go to Rachel's as that's where Eric was now expecting her to go. There wasn't anyone else. There were a few people she knew, but no one she trusted well enough to go knocking on their door and ask for a place to stay.

Hoggle! She thought brightly. Ok, a bit stupid going into the lion's den but maybe she could somehow manage to get to see Jareth and get him to reverse whatever it was that he'd done to her. While she was at it, she'd demand to know why he didn't answer her plea and then tell him that she wanted nothing more to do with him. Ever.

"Ok, Hoggle-" She reached into the box for her mirror. "-I need-" Her heart sank as she saw that that mirror was broken, the pieces where still in the bottom of the box, shattered over the rest of her treasured possessions. "-you." She heard her owb voice. She sounded so defeated. "Jareth, I'm warning you; there will be hell to pay. STOP RUINING MY LIFE." She slumped over the steering wheel and banged her head in frustration. "Rachel's it is then, and by the end of the night I'll either have a one way ticket to New York or a cordial invite to come and kick that tightly bound arse of yours." She didn't know if he could hear her, but she liked to think he could. She started the engine and headed towards Rachel's.

Sarah had known Rachel since their first year in college together. They had both been on the same course, they loved the same music and films and Sarah trusted the energetic blonde so much that she had almost told her about Jareth. She had in a way, she'd told Rachael that he was an older man who had adored Sarah, but it couldn't last because they were from two worlds. It wasn't as if him being the Goblin King to another land was integral to the story.

Story? Was it just that? Sarah thought as she got stuck at a red light. Was what happened to her years ago real? Where her feelings for him real? No, they had to be real, if she didn't have real feelings for him he wouldn't have been able to enter her dreams. Although, from her dire situation she now found herself in, she rather wish she hated him instead.

She drove as fast as she could the second the lights changed back. She was five minutes away from Rachel's apartment. What was her plan of action? It was six pm; she'd ring the airport and get the first flight out to New York tomorrow. Failing that she would phone the theatre company and warn them of her situation and see if she could postpone her audition. Finally failing that she'd go back to Eric, kill him, chop him into little pieces and take them in a doggy bag to Jareth and stuff his pale pasty with it until he choked.

"Good plan Sarah." She congratulated herself as they pulled into Rachel's street.

* * *

"Sarah-" Rachel questioned as she opened the door, dressed in her pyjamas for what seemed to be a lazy night on the couch.

"I need a place to stay and I need to use your phone; is that cool?" Sarah asked stepping inside, her hair dripping wet from the rain.

"Of course, go sit down. What the hell has happened? I thought you were packing tonight?" Rachel led Sarah to the couch in the next room, leaving briefly and returning with a towel for Sarah. It was true, they'd had her leaving do last week because her and Eric were going to spend the night packing stuff ready to take on the flight and the rest to be shipped once she had won the audition.

"Eric's been cheating on me and had a hissy fit and destroyed the tickets to New York because I wouldn't instantaneously forgive him." Sarah decided the shortened version was better.

"Who?" Rachel sat down beside her after getting the portable phone from its stand.

"Who'd you think? Miss Perfect." Sarah snapped. "Miss-stick-thin yet ample in the right places and oh so adorably blonde- no offence." She had noticed Rachel's eyes flicker at the insult of being blonde. "It's just I can't help not being blonde; and that was his preference."

"Yes, au natural you're not blonde, but there's always bleach." Rachael offered.

"I don't change myself for any man. I lost weight for him and where did that get me; not a lot I can tell you. It wasn't as if I needed to loose any weight either, I was happy the way I was." She sighed. "Besides, he told me I wouldn't suit being blonde. I couldn't win with him." Rachel scoffed at that.

"Show me a guy you can win with?"

"Jareth." Sarah muttered longingly before she could stop herself. Luckily Rachel didn't quite catch her and assumed that Sarah was agreeing with her.

"Right well I'll go get us a nice bottle of wine and you phone who you got to phone hun." Rachel handed her the phone and headed to the kitchen.

Sarah rang the airline first. No luck, they were fully booked until after the weekend because some English rock star was playing in New York and it was his only American date so everyone was flocking to see him. Even telling the woman that she knew for a fact that two seats would be available didn't help.

"Thanks anyway." Sarah terminated the call with a violent stab of the button. That blonde bandit rock star must be in cahoots with Jareth. Maybe that was why he was so huge?

"How's it going?" Rachel asked placing a chilled glass of wine in front of Sarah.

"It's not, there's a huge gig on in Times Square on Saturday so there are no free tickets until Monday at noon, and the audition is at nine." Sarah hit herself with a pillow.

"That sucks Sarah," Rachel offered Sarah a piece of cake which she gratefully took. A fleeting thought ran through her mind about driving. But with the games that Jareth seemed to be playing it wasn't worth the risk.

"I'll have to ring them up and see what they have to say." Sarah began dialling. They didn't like Sarah's excuses much when she said she wouldn't be in New York until Noon. She was then reminded that she wasn't the only one up for the audition and she wasn't anything special.

"Babe?" Rachel enquired when Sarah had said goodbye and hung up.

"It's not fair!" Sarah screamed. "I had that part. Eric's friend said all I had to do was show up and the part would be mine."

"And there lies your problem." Rachel pointed out.

"He wouldn't be that spiteful." Sarah pulled her knees to her chest, resting her chin upon them.

"Wouldn't he? He turned your plane tickets into confetti didn't he?" Rachel informed a stunned and traumatised Sarah. "Right we'll watch the ER night that's starting-"

"Why aren't you out? I thought you were on the quest for a man?" The thought never even crossed her mind that her friend might not have been in.

"The only man I'm interested in right now is Doctor Doug Ross of County General Hospital Chicago. The real men can wait for a rainy day."

"In case you haven't noticed-"

"I know, but you know what I mean. Tel you what though, someone must be pumping a lot of negative energy out."

"Don't start that again, people don't control the weather." Sarah scoffed.

"You ever noticed that when you're down and sad it starts to rain!" Rachel raised an eyebrow.

"No; I tend to be down and sad _because_ it's raining. I'm just going to pop to my car. There's something I need to be doing while you drool over Doctor Doug. You got any strong glue?"

Sarah returned a few minutes later with the box containing the broken mirror and it's pieces.

"Did all your trouble start when you broke that thing? Because you're in for seven years of it." Rachel had turned on the tv and placed a pot of glue on the table.

"Ha! No, but if I fix it, I may get some of my luck back." She sat down on the floor, the mirror frame placed flat on the coffee table and Sarah began to paste the glue onto the backing.

"You need any help?" Rachel asked, her eyes briefly moving from the screen.

"No, if you neglect Doug he'll be cheating on you quicker than you can say stat." Sarah smiled not wanting her friends help; this was something she had to to alone.

* * *

After three episodes and four glasses of wine later Sarah was getting frustrated. It was the worst jigsaw puzzle she'd ever had to do and nothing had ever mattered so much to her before. Was it Hoggle or Jareth she was wanting to see more? She sat back and sucked her finger, she'd cut it really badly on the last piece she'd placed down on the drying glue.

"Why didn't you just go and buy a new mirror- what's so special about it?" Rachel asked as the programme went to a break.

"It's the staff entrance to Narnia." Sarah replied, she then laughed inwardly, the idea that ninety percent of all truths are made in jest was never more true.

"I see, quite an important mirror then. Bit foolish to break it." Rachel laughed, "Mind you, at least there's always the wardrobe."

"It's out of order." Sarah mumbled referring to her botched plea to Jareth. She sighed and returned to the mirror. There was one piece left to put in. She looked in the box, it wasn't there. "Oh god!"

"Sarah?" Rachel asked.

"The last piece isn't here." Sarah tipped the box upside down, then stood up to see if it had been on her leg. "It must be in the car." Sarah went towards the door.

"Can't it wait until morning?"

"No it really can't" Sarah's fleeting body replied.

Using the cars inbuilt light as her only source, she bent down on her hands and knees to look for the pieces of glass that was the size of a fingernail. It wasn't there, and if it was; there was no way she'd find it in this light.

"She'd have to admit defeat and as Jareth had knocked down her house of cards she'd have to begin building again. Only this time they would be built on stronger foundations; her growing hatred for the Goblin King.

"Oh Hoggle, if only you knew how much I needed you," Sarah wept softly.

"I do. I just hope you appreciate me sitting out here for half an hour freezing my butt off." A voice behind her replied and a potato shaped head appeared in the cars mirror.


	4. Into the Labyrinth

_**Chapter Four: Into the Labyrinth**_

'Hoggle!' Sarah flung herself in the direction of her weathered-skinned friend, 'I'm so glad you're here-'

'What do you want Sarah? I'm really busy.' He pulled himself out of her embrace and stood back from the grinning girl. 'You know, my life doesn't stop because you stop calling all of us.' He slowly crossed his arms over his protruding chest; the years had treated him well.

'I don't know what to say Hoggle; I'm sorry.' Her hands clasped her heart that was racing. _Should you need us,_ echoed in her mind; how had she never thought that maybe, just sometimes, they would need her? 'How come you're busy? Or is that a 'I'm washing my hair' kind of excuse?' Sarah eased into the seat, hoping she had lightened the mood. His expression remained fixed and cold.

'You're the reason we're all busy if I'm completely honest with you. I don't know what you did to Jareth but he's back there destroying everything. There's people hiding out in the oubliettes because they're so scared; then of course they forget why they're down there. It's horrific.' His huge eyes had formed into an angry stare. 'I'm hoping you called me here so you can fix what you've ruined.'

'I've not spoken to Jareth in years. I didn't even know he survived.' A blatent lie. She had always, on some level, known he'd survived. The oceans of salt water that were welling up inside Sarah's eyes threatened to burst their banks. Sarah was sure this would do her no favours. She had always known Hoggle to be hard and defensive; but never had she seen such contempt.

The penetrating stare was so forceful Sarah began to wonder why he'd even bothered to come if he had no intention of helping her? She cleared her throat.

'Will you take me to him Hoggle? Please; I'll make everything alright, I promise.' She stared him down with her softest, most vulnerable eyes, that no man could resist.

'No chance,' he roared, his cold features slipped a little as he watched Sarah flinch. 'I'll take you back with me because that's no bother to me. After that, you're on your own.'

'But Hoggle-'

'No Sarah. I'm not setting foot inside that labyrinth while he's in there. He'd have me turned inside out and sinking to the bottom of the bog if he so much as lays a cornea on me.' The fear that was once behind Hoggle's voice had gone. Instead, before her was someone who was angry and bitter; a transformation from the man who she had watched grow in front of her all those years ago. This was all her fault.

'I guess that will have to do.' She mused on her thoughts before voicing them; 'how about once I've sorted the grump out we spend some time together?'

'He always wins Sarah! Once you've put a smile on his face you'll forget about me,' Hoggle snarled, 'every time you dreamed of him he rubbed it in. Every time Sarah; every lunch, every dance and every single fight!' He lurched forward and opened the door behind her and scrambled out. 'All you had to do was ask for us Sarah. You went into that hospital years ago and, well; you left us there. Now, here you go-' he brought her attention to her surroundings; a baron, crumbling landscape, complete with an aged labyrinth. 'I'm leaving you here now. I hope you find Jareth in an entertaining mood; you're trapped otherwise.' Without another word Hoggle left her open mouthed in the back seat of her now stranded car.

She uncurled herself and planted her two feet on the sandy dune where she found herself; she could feel the sand give way beneath her feet but she was on the move so quickly that it didn't affect her balance.

Even though the last time the perimeter of the labyrinth was sparsely populated as it was now, it felt eerie and abandoned. Scanning ahead, she could see that she would not need the wall to part; a whole section had been blown away.

'Jareth, what have you done?' Sarah questioned as she began clambering over the rubble to get inside.

Hoggle stepped into the main chamber of the castle.

This chamber, unlike everywhere else, was perfect. It was untouched by the jealous and irrational hands of Jareth. That was because, this bedroom chamber was free from the Goblin King.

He was nowhere to be found. Hoggle's master, on the other hand, was.

'Scarlet?' Hoggle enquired tentatively as he took small steps into the lavish room; a huge throne stood one end and a four poster bed at the other. Large windows allowed light in-between the two spaces. Scarlet stood at one of the windows, looking out onto the labyrinth. Hoggle's question was met with silence as the woman with a thick velvet dress stood oblivious to his appearance. He cleared his throat before he took a few more steps and began; 'Sarah is-'

'Do not utter her name to me-' A hand coiled round Hoggle's thick neck before he was pulled up to meet her green eyes that glowed out from beneath her raven coloured hair. 'is she broken?' her bloodstained lips hissed into his ears.

'Enough, she is broken enough.' Hoggle whimpered beneath her hand.

'Good boy; is everything in place my pet?' She pulled him to her breast and stroked his leathered face. He trembled beneath her acidic touch.

'He is in place my beautiful master. She will find him shortly. Everything is in place; they will destroy each other with the game you have in mind.' He explained before she released him.

'Perfect. This will teach him to choose a pathetic human over me! No one leaves me on our wedding day! I will be the Goblin Queen; so help me I will! Now, get out of here; your face offends me.'

Hoggle obliged initially but a thought seemed to strike him like lightening and he turned back towards her; 'You won't hurt her will you?'

'Are you still under the impression she cares for you Hogwart? Jareth is the one she loves. Now, if we destroy their love; we can keep the pieces for ourselves. Understood?'

'Understood Scarlet,' He whimpered before leaving the woman alone with her thoughts.


End file.
